


The Way It Was

by StarlingStorm



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), The Last of Us
Genre: And So Much More, F/F, The undead arn't as immune to the infection as they would like to be, alliances that will surprise you, catmilla, character deaths that you won't expect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-07 07:32:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3166649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlingStorm/pseuds/StarlingStorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"For some people, all they had to worry about was their ration cards running low. For others, they might have a constant fear of being caught in the crossfire whenever the fireflies decided to make another move against the so-called ‘government’. </p><p>For Laura Hollis, well…her emergency might just surpass all."</p><p>In which Laura Hollis is not just a survivor, but quite possibly the cure to end this craptastic hell she and everyone else lives in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Titled inspired by- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-lHwTICpwM
> 
> Based on- http://timballisto.tumblr.com/post/107575974590/what-about-a-last-of-us-carmilla-au-could-you#notes

**Chapter 1**

For some people, all they had to worry about was their ration cards running low. For others, they might have a constant fear of being caught in the crossfire when the fireflies decide to make another move against the so-called ‘government’. 

For Laura Hollis, well…her emergency might just surpass all.

"Oh crap!" 

Her flashlight was dying. The bright beam that was directed at the door in front of her flickered in spurts. She tricked herself into believing that if she shook the flashlight repeatedly, it would magically stop it’s immediate death and shine even brighter.  No such luck. Another hard shake had the opposite effect and it was lights out.

"Crap, crap, crap!" Laura took a shaky breath and pulled off her backpack. She knelt down on the ground and quickly unzipped the front pocket. "Matches, where are the matches?" Laura whispered as she rummaged blindly around, feeling for that tiny lone box she had found on a dead firefly a few days ago. 

Click.

Laura froze. No. Holy crap-sticks no. Not now. 

She slowly rose up on unsteady limbs, fingers sliding to her holstered gun. She took a deep breath and spun away from the door she had been working on, to face the compact and narrow hallway that seemed to tilt sideways.

Just a half an hour ago she had made the careful journey through the maze of broken concrete and falling roof tiles that this sad skyscraper depleted to. The building, if looked upon from the outside, seemed to barely hold up. But it was the only building that gave access to the other side of the city. 

Another click, now followed by a series of two more clicks, alerted Laura to the present danger. With steady hands she held her gun in front of her, eyes straining to see through the pitch black. 

One screech to her left was her only warning. “Shit!” Laura fired two rounds before a weight crashed into her, causing her to trip over her backpack still sitting on the moldy carpet. Her head smacked the wooden door behind and she rolled immediately to her right, wrestling with the infected clicker that was just inches from tearing out her throat. 

She was screwed. As the two bullets left her guns chamber in a burst of light, she realized it was more than just three clickers in the building. She had at least seen ten, if not more. 

Tears stung her eyes and she was suddenly glad she had her best friend knocked out so she couldn’t follow her into this deathtrap. 

'I'm sorry Dad….Danny….' 

Laura squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the worst when she heard such an impossible and unheard of noise that had her eyes popping open in shock.

A deep throated growl gave way to a roar and in a flash the clicker that had managed to take a bite out of her shoulder was yanked off her. She felt the air shift above her followed by a huge crack as the clicker hit the hallway wall to her left. Laura scrambled backwards on four limbs till her back hit the door and she waited in terror as the sounds of whatever…animal?monster?…had arrived in the building tore apart the remaining clickers. 

One last ripping sound and then silence. Laura felt like breaking down and sobbing but she covered her mouth to try in vain to stop the sounds of her heavy breathing and waited for something, anything. 

After another minute of silence, Laura uncovered her mouth and spoke.

"Hello…?" 

"Well then." A raspy voice that was clearly female echoed from the darkness, just a few feet in front of her.

Laura couldn’t stop the scream from spilling from her lips. Before it could do any damage, aka- bring more infected right to her, a cold hand slapped over her open mouth, silencing her. 

"That’s no way to greet your rescuer, sweetheart." 

The sound of a match igniting and then there was light. Laura’s eyes focused on the hand holding the match and darted to the held matchbox, her matchbox, in the other hand, before darting up to her rescuers, no…monsters, face. The girl had a amused smirk on her face as she patiently waited for Laura to speak. And god was she gorgeous. Dark hair that curled with weight fell past her shoulders and she had such beautiful eyes that Laura was annoyed to learn she couldn’t seem to look away from.

"Who the hell are you?" Laura leaned away from the girl. Her instincts still screaming loud and clear that this girl just butchered at least ten clickers. 

"Name’s Carmilla, cupcake, but as much as I just love introductions, we need to move right now."

"The hell we are!" Laura’s rage at herself, this situation, and now this new stranger was starting to spill out, her defiant tone a clear indication, "Not until you-" Laura is roughly yanked up by her forearm and backpack shoved into her chest by Carmilla.

"I said now, cupcake!" 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who added kudos! I'm so glad you all like it! 
> 
> Important announcement! Well, kind of important. I wanted to let you all know that I actually update this story first on Tumblr. For those who are reading it here, you guys are usually a chapter or two behind. XP 
> 
> My Tumblr: scullystorm

**Previously:**

_"Who the hell are you?" Laura leaned away from the girl. Her instincts still screaming loud and clear that this girl just butchered at least ten clickers._

_"Name’s Carmilla, cupcake, but as much as I just love introductions, we need to move right now."_

_"The hell we are!" Laura’s rage at herself, this situation, and now this new stranger was starting to spill out, her defiant tone a clear indication, "Not until you-" Laura is roughly yanked up by her forearm and backpack shoved into her chest by Carmilla._

_"I said now, cupcake!"_

 

Carmilla stormed pass Laura, and with one kick, crashed the wooden door open (that Laura, just fifteen minutes ago, had been picking the lock before she was rudely interrupted). 

Laura hesitantly took a small step forward, glancing back down the hallway behind her. She considered making a run for it, away from stranger danger Carmilla, but the stench of rotted blood was thick in the air. It reminded Laura of all dead clickers she would have to step through and the thought made Laura gag. 

"What’s it gonna be, sweetheart? Decide in five seconds or less because I’m leaving your sorry butt behind either way." 

Laura looked back at Carmilla who was now on her fifth match. She shifted, took another small step, bit her lip in contemplation, and finally gave a defeated sigh. Carmilla grinned and arched a brow. Laura felt a tug in her heart and blushed. Damn her. 

"Thatta girl!" 

"I’m not some ‘girl’ or ‘cupcake’ or any other edible pastries! I’m a woman, and the name’s Laura!" She gripped her backpack tightly before putting it back on and grabbing her gun off the floor. 

Carmilla scoffed, “Whatever you say…creampuff.”

Laura shoved past Carmilla who partly blocked the door.

"You are so annoying." 

Laura heard the door shut and turned around to face her new companion. Ugh. She really didn’t want to travel with anyone while on this vital mission, but she had to admit to herself she was lonely. The fear of being eaten alive every night she caught a few hours of sleep locked in some broom closet or tucked away in a sewer tunnel was getting to her as well. Carmilla raised another eyebrow in her direction before the match extinguished.  

"Don’t you have a flashlight or something?" 

Carmilla chuckled and Laura felt her face heat up again. “What’s so funny?”

"I really don’t need one, cupcake." 

Laura huffed, “Why is that, may I ask?” 

She was met with silence and then she heard Carmilla walk up to her until Laura, peering into the darkness, could make out her face. She stumbled back in surprise and she was rewarded with another laugh. 

"Just a sec, I’ll go find one."

"How will you just magically find a flashlight?" 

…And silence met her yet again. Peachy. 

Not more than twelve seconds later (yes, Laura was counting) she heard Carmilla reenter the office room. 

"How did that scout mission go,  _cupcake.”_ Laura grumbled, “Did you find magical cookies, too? I’m starving.” 

A click then blinding light hit her right in the eyes.

"Gah! What the crap, Carmilla!?" 

The beam was lowered and Laura blinked repeatedly, her eyes gradually adjusted. Carmilla stood in front of her looking bored. Her hand was outstretched, offering Laura the prized find. Laura timidly took it and muttered a thanks. Carmilla rolled her eyes before she took off her own backpack and pulled from it a small medical kit. Laura felt her jaw drop and snapped it shut before Carmilla noticed. What she wouldn’t give for one of those! Her body was starting to feel like swiss cheese with all the bite marks marring her skin. 

"Time to clean you up before we head out of this dump, wouldn’t you say, sweetheart." 

Clean up. Laura’s eyes widened. Oh crap, her bite marks! 

Just as Carmilla took a step forward, Laura turned and ran over to one of the office cubes and picked up a dusty stapler. 

"What the hell, cupcake?" Carmilla’s face didn’t show confusion, only irritation. 

"You, you know, how about we pass the clean up? I’m perfectly fine!" Laura  gave an awkward laugh and put some more distance between them. 

Carmilla tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly and began to dart her gaze up and down Laura. Her nostrils flared and pupils dilated slightly and Laura’s stomach dropped. Laura blinked, just blinked, and suddenly Carmilla was right in front of her. She grabbed Laura’s shirt collar and before Laura could shout a protest, she yanked her collar down to just above her collarbone. Laura met the girl’s eyes and felt her breath whoosh out. Cat eyes! This…girl in front of her had slitted yellow eyes! Carmilla let out a hiss (which Laura would have laughed at if things weren’t so weird) and leapt back. 

"You’re infected!" Carmilla actually looked scared and Laura felt her heart give a pang of regret that she was the cause. 

Laura stood frozen as her brain acted on hyper speed, trying desperately to think of a response that wouldn’t cause Carmilla to tear her limb from limb. The memory of Carmilla’s yellow eyes was oddly enough her first thought and just as she blurted out her question, Carmilla growled out that very same question.

“ _What are you_!?” 


	3. Chapter 3

_Previously:_

_"You’re infected!" Carmilla actually looked scared and Laura felt her heart give a pang of regret that she was the cause._

_Laura stood frozen as her brain acted on hyper speed, trying desperately to think of a response that wouldn’t cause Carmilla to tear her limb from limb. The memory of Carmilla’s yellow eyes was oddly enough her first thought and just as she blurted out her question, Carmilla growled out that very same question._

_“What are you!?”_

"…wait. What?" Laura scrunched up her nose in confusion, "What am I? How about what are you! Because holy crap, you just ripped apart those things with just your bare hands and-” Laura paused her rant and gagged, “Oh god, please don’t tell me you used your teeth! Are you one of those weird sickos Danny warned me about!?”

The girl in front of her shifted from foot to foot (and now was so not the time to notice she was wearing black leather pants!) before she went perfectly still and grinned.

"Well, cupcake, you wouldn’t exactly be wrong about using my teeth."

Laura felt a panic attack. “What are you saying?”

Carmilla looked uneasy before she narrowed her eyes, her gaze landing back on Laura’s bite mark. Laura was ever so thankful that her shirt went all the way to the tops of her thighs (unlike monster-in-black whose shirt- no corset, stopped just above her navel) because, holy crap if Carmilla saw the two bites on her stomach!

"I have to leave some things a mystery, sweetheart."

"Would you stop with the edible nicknames!" Laura snapped, stomping one foot like a child, "And I’ll only answer your question if you answer mine first.”

Camilla’s eyes flashed and Laura was struck with a sharp fear that this girl could do some serious damage!

"You asked for it. Don’t run." Carmilla snarled out.

One second she was right there, then with just a puff of black smoke there stood it, the monster.

"HOLY CRAP!"

To be fair, it wasn’t a monster. Not even anything that would have scared Laura just a few years ago, before the infection hit. The ‘monster’ was just a cat. Okay, so not a cat cat, like the cute and cuddly ones you find in homes tended by sweet old ladies, but it (no, she) was a big cat. A ginormous black panther sat in front of her, and Laura could swear that it actually managed to pull off looking bored quite well.

Laura felt her legs give out and she crashed to the floor. The panther got up and walked silently over. Another puff of black smoke and there Carmilla was, back to her human form.

"Holy crap," Laura repeated in a whisper, staring directly into Carmilla’s brown eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So….," Laura gripped her backpack strap tightly and directed the flashlight beam into another open meeting room. All clear. "So how long have you been a kitty cat?" Laura almost burst out laughing. The absurdity!

Laura swung the beam around, directing it slightly below Carmilla’s face who was now glaring at her.

"I’ve been a panther pretty much ever since I got turned.”

"I se-wait hold the phone!" Laura stopped her careful sweep of the 2nd floor and spun to face Carmilla, "What do you mean, ‘since I got turned?’"

Carmilla smirked, “Right. You humans still don’t know about us.”

Laura felt like that was an insult and gave a frown.

"I can show you, if you’d like." Carmilla reached out and gently took Laura’s wrist.

"What are you-"

Laura gave an honest-to-god squeak when she suddenly found herself chest to chest with the girl. Her cheeks bloomed with heat and she took a nervous gulp, avoiding meeting Carmilla’s eyes at all costs.

Carmilla chuckled, “Doesn’t matter much to me, cupcake. I can hear your heart pounding.”

Laura looked up at that comment, “You can what?”

Oh.

OH.

Carmilla was smiling. Not her usual smirk, or a grin, but smiling! That would have been something quite new and amazing to Laura if not for the two fangs that were now on display.

"You choose now to be speechless?"

"YOU’RE A BLOODSUCKER!?"

Carmilla gave her trademark smirk and released Laura.

"Surprise."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware infected!
> 
> As always, I post on Tumblr before here. ^_^
> 
> Tumblr: scullystorm
> 
> I might like a cowriter so for anyone interested, message me?

Previously:

"YOU’RE A BLOODSUCKER!?" 

Carmilla gave her trademark smirk and released Laura. 

"Surprise." 

"Oh my god! Are you kidding me!" Laura paced back and forth in front of Carmilla. She paused to pull her hair in frustration before throwing her hands up, shaking them at the heavens, "Why do all things bad and weird keep happening to me!? As if my mission isn’t-" Laura snapped her mouth closed and averted her gaze from Carmilla. 

"What mission?" 

Laura cursed herself for reminding Carmilla of their little agreement. She fidgeted in place before giving a loud groan in defeat, turning herself around to resume her sweep of the abandoned office building.

"What the fuck, sweetheart?" Carmilla jogged up to Laura and yanked on her arm. "We made a deal."

Laura winced as Carmilla’s sharp nails dug into her wrist. Carmilla’s eyes widened and her cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment. “Sorry….I sometimes forget my strength around you humans.” She let go of her hold on Laura but stayed by her side as they continued in a brisk pace down the corridor. 

Laura muttered what could have been a curse on all things abnormal (that now would have to include one particular vampire-cat-thing currently walking beside her) before looking up at Carmilla and rolling her eyes. 

"You’re right, I did tell you I would explain but can it please wait until we get out of this blasted building!"

Fine by me, cupcake.” 

Laura grinned at Carmilla for having gotten her way and started to skip for the remainder of their walk.

A few times, when they encountered dead ends, Laura would try to strike up a conversation with the…vampire….but was met with numerous different looks of boredom, occasionally a glare here or there, before she decided to give up. It was just as they were exiting the staircase to the first floor that Laura opened her mouth to inquire how did the black puff of smoke thing work out when a howling screech disrupted the silence for them. Laura heard Carmilla yell ‘Run!’ into her ear and suddenly they were both flying down the last corridor to freedom. A pounding sounded from one of the closed doors they just passed and Laura flinched as whatever infected monster crashed through. She felt Carmilla tug her hand harder and gave in to temptation to look back.

Like she had told Carmilla, the bad and weird always seemed to happen to her.

A whistle sound through the air was their only warning and then the hallway was ignited in bright colors of yellow and orange. 

"LAURA!"

Those innocent colors in the eyes of a human was a facade for the swift death it delivered to any poor soul who inhaled. Spores. The hallway had just become a poisonous confined space and they needed to flee.

Laura, who had been hit directly by the evil little spore bomb which sent her stumbling into a wall, could survive this. She has breathed in enough spores since the accident to take down a hundred men. But did vampires have the same immunity? From the earlier fear she had seen in Carmilla’s eyes when the vampire learned of her bite, she would have to guess no. Which meant-

"Carmilla? Where are you!" Laura shouted out weakly. The spores still caused her chest to burn and she felt like she was hacking up valuable black market organs.

Another screech followed by pounding alerted her that they were not out of the woods just yet.

"CARMILLA!?" This time Laura managed to scream out her name.

Cold fingers wrapped around her bare ankle. Laura whipped her body around to see who was behind her and gave a sob of relief.

"You just about gave me a heart attack you stupid vampire!"

Carmilla’s beautiful face blurred slightly in and out as Laura fought back tears. She surprised both herself and her new companion by flinging her arms around the vampire’s neck, pulling her close in a hug.

"I guess you can breathe in the spores too, then!"

Laura pulled back and gave a tiny smile. Carmilla shook her head once and gestured to her mouth and nose. It took Laura two seconds to realize Carmilla had a nose plug on and her mouth shut tight.

"Oh, OH! We should probably go, huh?"

Carmilla rolled her eyes and gave a nod.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The double doors swung shut with a clang and as Carmilla quickly said her goodbyes to the building of horror with a swift kick to the door, Laura celebrated by gleefully jumping up and down in one spot.

"I made it! I finally made it through that maze of-" Laura noticed Carmilla staring at her with a raised brow, "..Uh, I mean we did it! We totally escaped that huge monster together."

"Bloater." Carmilla corrected.

"Pardon?"

"It’s called a bloater, cupcake." Carmilla drawled. "Nasty things. I actually bared witness to one ripping a mans jaw apart."

Laura had the wonderful pleasure of being able to imagine that scenario. Her stress and fear over the days turmoil came out in a unfortunate way as she ran over to a patch of tall grass blooming from the cracked pavement and proceeded to vomit the small amount of food she had managed to stomach that morning.

Laura whined as she gave another heave. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Carmilla approach and pull back her long hair just in time as she vomited the water she drank awhile ago. Carmilla mumbled out soft words that Laura was too tired to make out and she was grateful for the hand that was rubbing her upper back in small comforting circles.

"Guess I have to get your part of the bargain tomorrow, huh creampuff."

Laura sank down on a new patch of grass further off and Carmilla followed her down by sitting, legs spread, behind her. “Lean back on me, Laura.”

Laura scooted backwards and carefully lay her head back against the vampire’s shoulder.

"Second time," Laura mumbled, giving a yawn.

"Second time, what?" Carmilla asked. She had begun carding her fingers through Laura’s hair and it was making her sleepy.

"Second time you called me by my actual name."

Laura’s only reply were the sounds of the creaking Boston city and crickets chirping in the distance. Her eyes gradually drooped and, soon enough, sleep took her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously:**

_"Second time, what?" Carmilla asked. She had begun carding her fingers through Laura’s hair and it was making her sleepy._

_"Second time you called me by my actual name."_

_Laura’s only reply was the sounds of the depleted city that creaked and the crickets chirping in the distance. Her eyes fell shut and sleep soon took her._

 

"So, tell me again why we are headed straight into a creepy town, in the middle of nowhere, in western Massachusetts?" 

After having woken up the next day with her head in Carmilla’s lap, Laura and her vampire-cat traveling companion managed to make it out of Boston safe and sound. Laura made it clear to Carmilla that they needed to make a pit-stop in a town called Lincoln because an old friend of hers owed her a favor and they needed a car. ….Carmilla didn’t know why they needed the car, but Laura figured it wasn’t important to share that information just yet. 

Laura sighed and paused in the middle of a small stream to look back at a disgruntled Carmilla who made it her mission to trail behind her in the slowest way humanly possible. 

"Last time I’m repeating this, grumpy cat. We are headed into Lincoln to meet up with my old friend in order to somehow….hopefully get a working car." Laura adjusted her backpack strap which was cutting into her skin and glared at Carmilla. It wasn’t the vampires fault she had blisters on her feet and sunburn all over her shoulders, but that didn’t stop her from blaming her. 

Carmilla shielded her eyes against the late afternoon sun cutting through the trees and frowned at Laura. “And we need a working car because…?” 

Laura gritted her teeth. Carmilla, in the past day and a half, had begun to consistently hint at or remind Laura that she still had yet to fill her side of the bargain. Laura, however, needed to keep that a secret as long as possible. Once she told Carmilla the truth, what was to say the vampire would stick around to see her safely to Utah? She wouldn’t admit this to Carmilla, but Laura never wanted to be by herself ever again. She liked Carmilla. Oh, who was she kidding? Worst crush ever was such an understatement. 

"Look, do you want to keep walking in this heat? Because I sure as heck don’t!" 

With that Laura stuck out her tongue before resuming her walk across the stream and up a sloped hill. A rusty perimeter fence greeted her and she stared longingly through the chain links to the town that lay beyond. 

"What now, cupcake?" Laura glanced behind her to see Carmilla pointing to the left of her and followed her finger to see a way in.

"It’s locked!" Laura whined, slumping her shoulders. 

She was sweaty and tired and more than anything she would like to crash for a few hours in one of the abandoned garden sheds. Laura licked vainly at her dry lips and tucked back a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, contemplating on using her gun to blast through the lock. How many infected would that bring to them? 

"You could just ask." 

Laura flung her backpack off and spun around, preparing for another verbal fight. “Ask what?”

Carmilla was smirking at her as if the answer was obvious and Laura was too tired to kill her outright but- Wait. Laura blushed with realization. 

"You’re a vampire that turns into a cat."

"Panther," Carmilla corrected, smirk spreading wider.

"You can just turn into a ca-panther and let me ride you and together we can get into the town!" Laura laughed and smiled back at Carmilla.

"Well well….’let me ride you’. I love the sound of that, sweetheart."

Laura congratulated herself on not letting that comment ruin her joyous mood (really, for not letting that comment cause her face, ears, and neck become a vibrant tomato color), and instead she retrieved her thrown backpack before waving at Carmilla to do her black-smoke magic trick already. 

Carmilla rolled her eyes and transformed into her animal form. She waited for Laura to clamber on, giving a small growl when Laura accidentally pulled too hard on a patch of fur, and proceeded to slowly back up a ways in order to make the leap. 

"Uh, wait a minute Carmilla! Is this really safe? Should you test the jump first befo-CARMILLA, WAIT!" Laura screamed as Carmilla sprinted forward and pushed off the ground with her back legs. She may have squeezed Carmilla in a death grip, hanging on for dear life as they flew up and over the perimeter fence. They landed hard and Laura gave a squeak of fright as she fell off Carmilla. 

"Ow, ow, ow." Laura stood up carefully, rubbing her right hip that had made contact first with the back alley concrete.

"Smooth move, Sundance." Carmilla chuckled, coming over to stand in front of Laura. 

"Shut up, kitty cat." Laura retorted, poking Carmilla in the shoulder. 

Carmilla’s jaw tightened slightly and Laura grinned. She was about to tease her companion further but a loud screech and a series of clicks sounded behind her. Laura spun around, instantly bringing her gun out of her holster and trained to the infected in front of her. Luckily this time they were greeted with just two clickers, instead of ten, who had wandered out from an old shed. 

"You take the small one!" Carmilla ordered, already racing up to the bigger clicker that was closest. Laura watched briefly as the vampire leapt over the clicker and landed behind it, pulling out a machete from her backpack.

Click.

Laura refocused her attention, aiming at the clicker a few feet to her side, She slowly released her breath and fired, hitting the clicker in the shoulder. She clucked her teeth in frustration and aimed again. The second shot was a perfect head shot and Laura cheered when the infected collapsed to the ground. 

"We need to move, now." Carmilla jogged over to Laura, slipping her now bloody machete back into her bag. 

Laura laughed, “Where have I heard that before?” 

Carmilla shot her a soft smile. They jogged down concrete steps that led them into a narrow passage between two brick buildings. Laura could see main street at the other end and hurried past Carmilla. The afternoon sun glinted off something stretched across the alley and Laura halted arbruptly, causing Carmilla to crash into her. 

"What the hell, cupcake?" 

"Somethings not right…" Laura strained to see the object that cause the sun reflection and, moving a few cautious steps further, she could finally make out a thin wire.

"What do you think that is?" 

Carmilla stepped in front of Laura pushing her a few steps back, and picked up a chunk of brick that had fallen from one of the buildings.

"One way to find out."

Carmilla tossed the bit of brick in a small arc and they watched as it hit the thin wire. A small blast erupted and both girls yelped as the shock wave rolled over them. Carmilla had immediately whipped around to drape her body over Laura’s and she now peeked around the vampire to see two indents where the wire connected on each side. 

"What in crap-sticks was that?”

They both exited the alley and stood side by side on a lonely sidewalk that used to be filled with people. 

"The answer to that will most likely be found in that direction," Carmilla replied, pointing across main street to a pillar of smoke rising from behind the shop buildings. 

Laura pouted. Wonderful. More walking. 

"I really hope we get that ca-"

"GET OFF OF ME RIGHT NOW, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

Carmilla froze at the scream and got ready to grab Laura and run but Laura’s reaction was the opposite. 

"Holy crap…" 

Laura’s feet moved before her brain could process her decision to move and suddenly she was running down main street, towards the noise.

"Laura!" 

"I know who it is!" Laura shouted back, her eyes still focused ahead of her despite the sound of Carmilla racing behind her. She heard another angry screech of profanity followed by the sound of three successive shots, and raced over to an old CVS store, jumping over the broken glass windows and landing inside the building. 

She skirted around a cash register and made her way down aisle four, feet pounding over dusty candy wrappers that lay abandoned on the tile floor. As she rounded the aisle she witnessed the last infected in sight crash into a display shelf, axe sticking straight through the head. A very tall girl with bright red hair that was piled high on her head in a bun and vibrant green eyes stood among the carnage of five dead clickers, metal bat in hand. Laura gave a gasp of recognition and the redhead’s eyes snapped up from a clickers body to focus in on Laura. Her eyes widened, as did Laura’s. Laura felt herself yanked back, tucked firmly against Carmilla’s side. 

"LAURA?"

"DANNY?"

Carmilla’s fingernails dug sharply into her hip and Laura looked away from Danny to take in Carmilla’s expression. The words ‘pissed as hell’ came to mind and Laura gulped. 

"Who the fuck is that jumbo girl, Laura?" Carmilla hissed, squeezing Laura more tightly into her side. 

The words ‘if looks could kill’ also flashed across Laura’s mind. Oh crap.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good News: Update
> 
> Sad News: I will no longer have a chapter ready to upload. In the past I would have written out and posted to Tumblr a chapter ahead of here but I got writers block. This is actually the chapter I wrote a couple of weeks ago. But I hope to get back into the swing of things!

**Previously:**

_"LAURA?"_

_"DANNY?"_

_Carmilla’s fingernails dug sharply into her hip and Laura looked away from Danny to take in Carmilla’s expression. The words ‘pissed as hell’ came to mind and Laura gulped._

_"Who the fuck is that jumbo girl, Laura?" Carmilla hissed, squeezing Laura more tightly into her side._

_The words ‘if looks could kill’ also flashed across Laura’s mind. Oh crap._

 

Another split second of silence before sound exploded between them, echoing off the CVS store walls. 

"What the crap, Danny! I could have sworn I had knocked you out back at our apartment!"

"-And then I woke up with a pounding headache, strapped down to my bed, and scared shitless because I didn’t know where you had gone."

Wait a second here,” Carmilla interjected. “What do you mean by ‘our apartment’?”

Both girls ignored her question. 

"Seriously, Danny? I can take care of myself!" Laura elbowed Carmilla, trying to get the vampire to let go. She didn’t even budge one inch.

Danny snorted and hand gestured to Laura’s freshly bitten shoulder. “Oh, of course, Laura. I can see how ‘taking care of yourself’ is going.”

Laura slammed one foot down in frustration and winced when Carmilla gave a yelp of pain followed by a pinch to her side. 

"Sorry!" Laura apologized. She then glared back at Danny, "I so was taking care of things! I made it all the way to the other side of Boston before-" Laura rolled her eyes. "Well before I kind of got stuck in a bad situation…." Laura paused and bit on her lip when both Carmilla and Danny stared at her with raised brows. "Okay, so way worse than bad. Like crappy crap and all things terrible bad-" Laura rambled out, "Ten clickers are way too many for any girl but luckily Carmilla here came and..err..saved me from most assuredly a gruesome death by the hands, or should I say teeth, of the infected." 

At the mention of her companion, Danny trained her sights on Carmilla, her eyes narrowing to slits. 

"So you must be this Carmilla?" 

Carmilla faked a yawn, “Must I be?” She replied in a mocking tone. 

Danny’s nostrils flared and she lunged forward, placing herself on Laura’s other side. 

"Laura…" Danny brought out her sweet sugar-coated voice that Laura knew all to well that she was in big trouble. "…who is this goth reject wannabe?" 

Laura felt Carmilla go very still, watched as Carmilla slowly looked up and met Danny’s eyes, and gave her a sneer. 

"That question coming from the Xena reject?" 

Danny suddenly yanked on Laura’s arm, ripping her from Carmilla’s side, and shoves her behind her. Protection mode activated.

"Bring it, bitch. I can take you down easily." Danny snarls.

Carmilla bursts out laughing. “Oh honey, please do try.”

"OKAY-" Laura jumps in-between them, "THAT IS ENOUGH!" 

Danny and Carmilla eye each other around Laura before they both take a step back.

"I need an explanation right now, Hollis." Danny retorts. 

Oh crap. She used her last name. She was in big, BIG trouble then. Laura lets out a heavy sigh and reluctantly gives Danny all the details.

How she no longer wished to put her family and friends in harms way. How she bribed information from a firefly about a active science lab they have in Utah in which they are searching for a cure. How she snuck out of the quarantine zone. How she finally made it to the other side of the city only to fear she would be killed in that narrow hallway of one of Boston’s once-majestic skyscrapers. And how Carmilla showed up just in time to save her (she left out the tiny fact that Carmilla was a vampire that could change into a giant cat, figuring Danny wouldn’t take that piece of information too well). 

"Holy shit, Laura." Danny looked at Laura with a new respect. 

"So why are you here, Danny?" Laura asked.

"Why do you think, dum-dum?" 

Carmilla faked barfing and sent a look of disgust at Danny.

Laura scrambled to contain World War III from happening, “How about we leave the store, guys? The smell is making me nauseous-” A total lie since she suffered the stench of ten dead infected just days before, “…and I want to get back to finding Kirsch.” 

Carmilla pulled away farther from Laura, hurt flashing across her face.

"Oh sure! You tell jumbo girl here the actual name of the person we are going to try and steal a car from, but won’t confide in me the details?" 

Danny grinned, eyes flicking back and forth between them.

"Well…well Danny knows him already. We were all friends back in the Q-zone and-" 

"Fine!" Carmilla snapped out, throwing her hands towards the ceiling. She shot Laura one final look of disgust and turned on her heels to leave. 

Laura clenched both hands into fists at her sides and watched as Carmilla stomped down the aisle, occasionally hitting empty boxes off the shelves.

"FINE!" Laura screamed after her. 

Stupid annoying vampire. 

Danny slid her metal bat she held throughout their whole ordeal into her large backpack and let out a short laugh. “She’s kinda intense.” Danny tilted her head, staring at Carmilla’s retreating figure, “And still a bitch.”

Right now, Laura couldn’t agree more. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this taking so long to update, and I'm sorry to inform you this chapter isn't the best, but I'm in a slump right now that's hard to get out of. I started my 4th playthrough of this game just a few days ago which helped bring this back, though! Yay!

Previously:

Oh sure! You tell jumbo girl here the actual name of the person we are going to try and steal a car from, but won’t confide in me the details?”

Danny grinned, eyes flicking back and forth between them.

"Well…well Danny knows him already. We were all friends back in the Q-zone and-"

"Fine!" Carmilla snapped out, throwing her hands towards the ceiling. She shot Laura one final look of disgust and turned on her heels to leave.

Laura clenched both hands into fists at her sides and watched as Carmilla stomped down the aisle, occasionally hitting empty boxes off the shelves.

"FINE!" Laura screamed after her.

Stupid annoying vampire.

Danny slid her metal bat she held throughout their whole ordeal into her large backpack and let out a short laugh. “She’s kinda intense.” Danny tilted her head, staring at Carmilla’s retreating figure, “And still a bitch.”

Right now, Laura couldn’t agree more. 

 

Just as Laura figured, the store was pretty much picked clean. Danny helped her rummage around and they both managed to find some basic medical supplies before they called it quits. As they finally headed out, Laura’s eye caught on a colorful add for confectionary treats and felt saliva pool in her mouth. God, what she would give to have a taste of this ‘Moonpie’ being advertised. 

"-ura?"

Laura flinched when a hand grabbed her by the shoulder and she whipped her head around to stare at Danny.

"Earth to Laura, do you two need a moment?" Danny chuckled, eyes flicking between Laura and the advertisement. 

Laura felt embarrassed to be caught drooling and covered it up by sticking her tongue out at Danny.

"Yea well, when you’re working on your supply of those disgusting fiber bars they supply back in the zone, you tend to wish for bigger and better things."

Danny smiled affectionately at Laura, “Too cute, Hollis, but-” Danny paused and looked out of one of the broken store windows and squinted at something in the distance, “things that are currently not cute are leaving you in the dust.” 

Laura gave a heavy sigh. 

"All right, let’s go catch up before she randomly runs into Kirsch and kills him for breathing her air or something."

When Laura and Danny make it to Carmilla, the vampire makes it perfectly clear that she wants nothing to do with Danny. She doesn’t make eye contact with the red-head (unless she’s back to glaring daggers), and she keeps making loud noises whenever Danny tries to start a conversation. Not to mention the fact that both Carmilla and Danny have their hands pressed possessively on Laura’s lower back and wrist, respectively. Laura was going to burn in the crossfire. 

"So!" Laura squeaks out after Carmilla growls at Danny for the hundredth time for pulling Laura closer to her, "We all know the destination we are headed towards, correct?"

Carmilla halts her glaring just long enough to roll her eyes at Laura, “To the burning infected that is causing that blaring trail of smoke.” Carmilla gestures with her free hand towards the distant smoke trail stretching towards the heavens just ahead of them.

Danny sneered at Carmilla, “How the fuck do you know the smoke is caused by burning infected?”

Carmilla lunged forward but jolted to a halt when Laura jumped in between the two of them. 

"OKAY, THAT’S ENOUGH!" 

"Jumbo girl here is pissing me the fuck off and she needs to get LOST!" Carmilla raised her lip in a snarl, clenching both hands in tight fists. 

"Lost?" Danny laughed, "How about you shove-"

"Shush!" Laura slapped a hand over Danny’s mouth. 

"Ha!" Carmilla barked out, "Serves you ri-" 

Laura kicked the vampire in the shin and hissed out, “Shut the hell up and listen!” 

The three girls held their breath (though one was merely acting that charade) and then they were running. 

The pounding of multiple sets of feet were racing up from behind them fast. 

Fucking runners. 

Danny and Carmilla were ahead of Laura and her heart and lungs were working overtime to catch up. Just as they swerved around another abandoned car, a sharp pain bloomed in her lower torso muscle and Laura gasped, feet tripping over themselves. 

Slam.

Laura hit the blacktop hard and barely managed to roll to the side as a runner lunged down with teeth snapping. 

Laura could hear shouts of alarm. Another runner swiped a hand at her face and Laura jumped up and fired off a shot. It hit the runner square in the chest slowing it down for a split-second before the infected screeched and went for her again. Laura stumbled backwards, crying out as yet another runner slammed into her from the side. 

"LAURA!" 

Laura registered that one shout of rage coming from a distance and then the familiar pain of teeth tearing into her skin. 

Hell, she really was turning into swiss cheese. 

Laura whipped out her hidden knife and violently began stabbing the runner who now had his jaw locked in her side. Laura whimpered when she felt teeth burrow deeper and then- Relief. The jaw unlatched and Laura blinked in confusion. 

"What the..?"

A concerned face popped in front of her, hands grabbing shoulders gently. 

Carmilla. Of course. 

Vampire, Laura thought. Duh. 

"Are you okay, Laura?" 

Laura nodded affirmation. Danny came running up just then as Carmilla unzipped Laura’s backpack and rooted for bandages. 

"The infected…" Laura started to ask.

"I took care of them lickity-split, sweetheart."

"Holy fucking shit, Laura! Are you okay?" 

Danny made to grab Laura but Carmilla hissed and shoved her back. “I need to bandage her first before I possibly let you touch her.” 

Laura was too dazed and in pain to try and stop their cat fight. 

Miracle upon miracles, Danny stood in silence and let Carmilla wrap her up. 

"Alright-" Carmilla tied the end knot and tucked it in, giving a gentle pat, "Now that that’s all taken care of, we should probably keep moving. Just a little bit further and you can take a rest outside of the school before we head in."

Laura took an experimental step forward and clenched her teeth as pain pulsed through her. “That sounds like a plan.” 

But was this life ever that easy?

Two bloaters bursting out from the record store to their left had the answer to that one.

"Fucking hell." Carmilla cursed.


End file.
